• The gold trap: COVID-19 is pushing more Filipino children into hazardous work

The Philippines had been making slow progress in its long fight against child labor, but the pandemic reversed the gains that had been made

• Can Singapore’s home cleaning scheme reduce maid abuse?

Demand for part-time home cleaning is up amid COVID-19-triggered shortages of full-time household help. A newly-formalized scheme gives Singapore’s migrant cleaners better working conditions, but its impact so far is limited.

• A culture of silence blunts impact of a new Vietnamese law vs sexual harassment

Vietnam’s new labor law requires employers to put in place mechanisms to prevent and penalize sexual harassment in the workplace. But Vietnamese culture trivializes sexual misconduct towards women and discourages victims from speaking out.

• Uber drivers are employees, not contractors, says Dutch court

Uber drivers are employees rather than independent contractors and are entitled to greater workers’ rights, a Dutch court ruled on Monday, September 13.

• Popular Pinay comedian in Dubai gives back to OFW community

A popular Filipina comedian here is giving back to the community, pushing plans to perform before overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and bring cheers by way of her tested, knock-out punchlines that have brought the house down in past gigs, including those held at one of the city’s major cultural venues.

• PH lifts travel ban on UAE, India, 8 other countries starting September 6

The government now has new classifications of ‘yellow’ and ‘red’ list countries on top of ‘green’ countries

• Bria Homes launches 6 future-proof projects for OFWs

Thanks in no small part to travel restrictions and worldwide lockdowns, Overseas Filipino Workers have been kept away from their families for too long that many of them are seriously considering coming home for good. Perhaps this explains why, nearly two years into the pandemic, OFW investments have become a major driver of the Philippine real estate market.

• Special passport appointment system for active OFWs launched

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday launched a special online appointment system for active overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at its Robinsons Galleria consular office in Ortigas.

• POEA warns vs. socmed ads on employment docs processing

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) warned overseas job applicants against advertisements on social media offering assistance in the processing of employment documents.

• OFW remittances seen to rise as more economies reopen

Gains in the vaccination program of countries where overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are, along with economic recovery around the world, are expected to further boost remittance growth in the Philippines.

• Decent work for migrant workers in South East Asia’s fishing industry

Standing outside a fishing port near Bangkok, Thailand, Chief technical Advisor, Mi Zhou explains how the ILO’s Ship to Shore Rights South East Asia project, funded by the European Union, promotes regular and safe labour migration and decent work for migrant workers in the fishing and seafood processing sectors in the region.

• ILO calls for action on social protection and jobs at the UN General Assembly

A human-centred recovery from the COVID-19 crisis on the ILO agenda at the 76th UN General Assembly in New York.

• ILO warns of a recovery with high unemployment and worrying informality in Latin America and the Caribbean

At the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour, the Director-General of the ILO said that it is necessary to move towards a sustainable and resilient inclusive recovery in the face of a pandemic that “has brought the world of work to its knees”.

• Changes in Jordan’s work permit regulations for Syrian refugees contribute to decent work – ILO, FAFO report

Findings of a new report which analyses changes in work permit regulations in Jordan since 2016 show a clear positive impact with respect to improving decent working conditions for Syrian workers in the country.